You won't believe how sleeping together or apart can affect your health, relationship

Sharing a bed key to a healthy happy relationshipResearchers from a reputed American university believe sleeping next to someone helps lower the stress hormone cortisol perhaps because it encourages feelings of safety and security They say this is why people in close relationships tend to be in better health and live longerAll pictures for representational purposesProlonged periods of elevated cortisol have been linked with an increase in cytokines mdash proteins involved in inflammation that can trigger heart disease depression and autoimmune disorders Sleeping together has a protective effect by lowering the levels of these proteinsSharing a bed is also thought to boost levels of the love hormone oxytocin known to induce bonding feelings This is traditionally thought to be released during sex but scientists who have examined the role of oxytocin in health have found itrsquos also associated with cuddling in bed and pillow talkOxytocin plays a vital role in aiding digestion reveal studies by scientists from Sweden Those with lower levels had poorer gastric motility mdash the process by which food is moved from the stomach to the intestines therefore slowing down digestionA recent research conducted in the US recently supports this theory 59 women who were married or had partners to keep a diary of the number of hugs they received over a set time The scientists then analysed levels of oxytocin in the blood The women whorsquod received the most hugs had the highest levels of oxytocin mdash and the lowest blood pressure and heart rates They findings showed that sharing a bed may definately improve sleepIn another study women in longterm stable relationships fell asleep more quickly and woke up less frequently during the night than single women or women who lost or gained a partner during the six to eight years of the studyBut sleeping apart can be healthy tooIt has emerged that 39 percent of couples believe their relationship is healthier because they have independence in their home life while five per cent think having separate beds or even bedrooms is one of the main reasons they are so happy together revealed a survey conducted by a leading home insurance firm According to the findings one in 25 couples have even taking a lengthy ldquosabbaticalrdquo from each other On an average couples spend 22 hours together during the working week with nearly half of all couples blaming hectic work schedules for a lack of ldquoquality timerdquo togetherThe survey which questioned more than 1000 people aged 18 or over also discovered that 10 percent of men have a ldquogames roomrdquo four percent of women have their own ldquopowder roomrdquo and five percent of people would rather spend a night in with their cat or dog than their partner Furthermore one in five couples 19 per cent regularly eat their evening meal at different times with one in 10 cooking completely different dishes from each otherAnd proving that opposites attract 15 percent of people describe themselves as the ldquopolar oppositerdquo of their partner while 44 percent believe having different interests or hobbies makes for a stronger relationship Those under 25 are the most likely age group to spend time apart with 21 percent admitting they regularly sleep in a separate bed followed by the over 55s at 16 percentA quarter of 18 to 24yearolds regularly go on holiday without their other halves followed by 15 percent of 25 to 34yearolds But only six per cent of over 55s admit to going away without their partnerDid you know Sleep can enhance sexual arousalA good nights sleep not only refreshes you for the day but also gives you an extra edge between the sheets Each additional hour of sleep increased the likelihood of sexual activity with a partner by 14 percentIn a study of 171 women conducted by a US medical school those who obtained more sleep on a given night experienced greater sexual desire the next daySleep was also important for genital arousal such that women who slept longer on average experienced fewer problems with vaginal arousal than women who obtained less sleepOn any given night however women who were tired ended up being more aroused the next day But eventually it catches up to them and their desire drops